Technology Supports Process, Technology Undermines Process

Mark Mullaly is president of Interthink Consulting Incorporated, an organizational development and change firm specializing in the creation of effective organizational project management solutions. Since 1990, it has worked with companies throughout North America to develop, enhance and implement effective project management tools, processes, structures and capabilities. Mark was most recently co-lead investigator of the Value of Project Management research project sponsored by PMI. You can read more of his writing at markmullaly.com.

Technology is a really appealing thing. For many of us, we see it as a way to solve our problems, make life easier and more efficient, and get more things done faster. Particularly for those that fall into the “early adopter” category, life is a constant quest for the next great piece of technology—be it software, app or site—that is going to make our lives just a little bit more magical and a little less tedious.

On an organizational scale, things of necessity move a little bit more slowly. The pace of introduction of technology is tempered by the rate of adoption, integration and assimilation necessary to get the whole organization to move to a new way of operating (rather than just ourselves).

It’s at an organizational level, though, where things get a little bit more interesting. Not just because change is more complicated to implement (although it is). More importantly, the motives and intent behind implementing technology also change. We’re not solely implementing technology to make things faster and more effective (although that is sometimes true). All too often, there are other, different reasons at work. We want consistency. Compliance. Auditability. Verifiability. The challenge being that what makes something auditable does not necessarily make it efficient and effective. And, conversely, efficient and effective isn’t